Observed by a monk, the trust-building walk is part of a two-day Buddhist matchmaking retreat at Naksansa, a hilltop temple founded in 671 CE during the Silla Dynasty on South Korea's northeastern coast in what is now Yangyang County.
The Korean Buddhist Foundation for Social Welfare launched its blind date programme in 2023 to help tackle the country's low birthrate, the world's lowest, by bringing young singles together. Interest in the programme has grown and this round drew a record 4,225 applicants for just 20 spots, the foundation said.
A Buddhist matchmaking event at Naksansa, South Korea, on July 11, 2026. Video by Reuters
"Honestly, they say the birthrate is falling and more people are choosing not to marry, but everyone around me really does get married, everyone has a partner, and they date just fine," Choi Ye-ri, a 30-year-old first-time participant, told Reuters.
"And since this is a programme, I figured more decent guys who were selected would be coming here, so that's why I came," she said.
